When I was a little kid, I nagged and dragged my dad to Prashanth theater in Secunderabad only to crib and sulk that we didn’t get tickets because he got us late to the theater. For the rest of the day I sulked and refused to talk to anybody at home. This is for a flop film of a hero who today gathered around 10 lakhs of guys like me to announce that he is entering politics to serve the people. After 30 years of being the MEGA STAR at Tollywood box-office, on 26th August 2008, Chiranjeevi announced his party name, hoisted the party flag, and spelled out what he stands for. Move over the Palm, the V, or the waving hand, and get ready for Chiru’s The Two Thumbs Up! Quite interestingly, the two thumbs up symbol is typically used for indicating a blockbuster film or event and as for the first public meet, Chiru too gets Two Thumbs Up!

You can well imagine the excitement in me—the guy on whose dances, fights, and style I grew up with is contesting for Chief Ministership of the State. I deliberately stayed away from my blog on 26th because I didn’t want to write in a state of high emotion. That evening I spoke to my group of friends—fans, non-fans, and objective folks. The group also ranges from a driver, to a government officer, women who are home makers, to a leading book publisher who also communicated the views of a senior Telugu paper Editor. On 26th evening the verdict ranged from “mind blowing” to “skipped key issues“. The next day, i read all the papers, English and Telugu. The Newspapers’s verdict also was similar, but ranged from ‘mind blowing’ to ‘touched key issues, but did not detail his plan’. While fans are dreaming of Chiru becoming CM, the general public is still curious to see how it all turn out. As on 27th, everybody knows one thing for sure—Chiru will hit the AP Political landscape like a mega-comet and create a Massive dent, but whether he can actually become the CM riding on a Chiru-Wave is still unclear at this point.

The best analogy is that ofa Blockbuster film. Every Blockbuster film opens Big to Blockbuster openings and the talk is almost always mixed. While the critics will point out the finer details and deduct points for a film for slacking out on those finer points, a blockbuster film appeals, at least on the face of it, to the masses [read majority of the moviegoers]. Once a film opens to a mass-frency, trade pundits wait for a couple of weeks or more to see how the movie has spilled over into the general public. Once it has spilled over, and it continues to excite the public, it is declared a Blockbuster Hit with retrospective effect from Day 1. This is exactly what has happened to Chiranjeevi’s first public meet. It has opened Big, with a capital B. Critics have expressed dissatisfaction overthe finer details, but to the fans, and a considerable segment of the general public have their approval to Chiru’s show on the dice. The message is clear—the general public is not grading Chiru on the finer details, at least not right now. So what are they giving him the approval for?

The public is giving their approval for what the organizers wanted to convey to the general pubic, anti-Chiru camps, and all political parties. The point of the public meet was not to present and unveil a full-fledged 5 year Strategic Plan for Andhra Pradesh. In which case, Chiru would list out all the issues, then explain the methodology he used to identify these issues, what plans he proposes to respond to them, and how he will implement and evaluate the work. Perhaps, all those who are disapproving of Chiru’s political debut would have just about been satisfied had he presented these details. But why would Chiru waste such an opportunity in front of a mass of 10 lakhs and present his dissertation on what he plans for AP? That is something reserved for the board room. When you have crowd, you want to excite them and that is exactly what Chiru did. In fact, he mentioned every possible issue under the sun of Andhra Pradesh from nalaxism to SEZ and plight of govt. hospitals to Telangana. The point of the public meet in Tirupathi was to show the nation, in general, and Andhra Pradesh, in particular, that when Chiru makes the call the response has to be seen to believe it. The Chiru camp wanted to show Chiranjeevi admist an ocean of people and that alone was the point of the meeting. And that is how a first meet should be—shock and awe. The easiest way to shock and awe is to show something tangible and real, something incontestable, and that is the mass of crowd that came to attend the first meet. Had the Chiru camp relied on detailing finer details for transforming AP, it would sure have opened up further debate.

What Chiru delivered on that stage was actually a blockbuster masala story. The film begins with an ocean of people and their leader. Then, in a flashback, we are shown how this man lived in hardships and grew up in life and how he now lives in the hearts of millions. Next, the man gets a calling that it is time to lead and so here he is. As an aside, does anybody ask at the end of a movie what happens after 10 years?—nope, they all live happily after the show. And this is exactly what Chiru did. Details will come in the sequel.

Which politicians we know today actually outlines their plans and finer details? Oh wait, Jayprakash Narayan of LokSatta Party does. So what? Those who ask what does Chiru stand for are just playing around. In fact, Chiru could not have been more clear and dignified when he said that Chiranjeevi is here to make politics respectable again. Since the early ’80s untill now, so much has changed in our Nation, but the public image of a politician has always been something to spit on. And this is exactly what Chiranjeevi wants to change. By fielding an entirely new Generation X of politicians, Chiru proposes to fight against corruption and effectively and efficiently deliver public goods to the public. It is really as simple as that. Now, the next ridiculous question that anti-Chiru folks ask is—will he do it, and how? That has to be the dumbest question of the century. From America to Andhra Pradesh, all politicians make promises and this applies to all electoral campaigns. But is it logical to disprove Chiru’s first speech because of such a generalized disease that plagues our political systems. What about Barack Obama who is currently, even as this post goes to the press, promising to bring change to none other than the United States of America? He won over Hillary Clinton and is getting support for his campaign only on the basis of the change he is promising. Does anybody know what exactly this change is? and how?—What is important in an electoral campaign is the theme. Chiranjeevi has delivered his theme. Even today, in spite of all the hype about growth, the problems of Andhra Pradesh are basic. Yes, Andhra Pradesh is quite well off, but what we need is to better improve the services. What Chiranjeevi is offering through PrajaRajyam is a better service, and the general tendency of consumers is to go for a new and well packaged service provider.

It is high time skeptics and thinkers move over the NTR-1982 movement because we operate in a completely different world today. I am sure, had NTR been alive he too would have agreed and patted Chiru. Those who indulge in the NTR-Chiru comparison never seem to talk about how many people attended the first function that NTR held in the same temple town 25 years ago. In fact, Chiru himself has ended the comparison by bowing to NTR-the Legend and respected him as a source of inspiration.

Whether we give the Two-Thumbs Up or Down to the Praja Rajyam Party will known only as the days go by. And as for Chiru as a CM, we can only decide if and when he becomes the CM and from then on over the five years. But as of 27th August, 2008, Chiranjeevi conveyed to his rivals as well as supporters that he is a Force, with a captial F, to reckon with and he conveyed it in Mega-style.

So for the first public meeting in Tirupathi, Chiranjeevi gets Mr. Inkenti’s Two Thumbs Up!

Related

krishnaraysaid

d.satyananda raosaid

Well organised public meeting. chiranjeevi should have avoided telangana and abcd-mala/ madiga classification. It is better to avoid any talk on these issues. Even fans will get devided on these issues. Any divissive issue should not be encouraged. TRS has met the dust in the recent elections. hyderabad as well as in coastal districts/rayala seema / majority of telanga districts are definetly not for division of the state.No state party can get this. IF NATIONAL PARTY tries to fiddle around, it will lead to disintegration of india. WHY rack up these issues which are so sensitive ?

Cubebloggersaid

Well contemplated article. Launch pad of Chiru was one of the best one could ever have. So much of hype and he actually live up to it. For eg. look at Dev Goud’s meet in Hyderabad, there were hardly any people and the speech, extremely mediocre for a seasoned and top level politician of AP.

How many politicians are/have been there for whom nearly a million people turn up for his first ever meeting? Hardly any i guess!

sign_ature@hotmail.comsaid

No doubt Chiru will become CM as long as he has great followers. However, I would have been excited had he been revealed the formula of his sucess as he claims “ganji to benz”.. If he tells that formula at least some youngsters will benefit by following his foot steps..

Mr.Inkenti Intro

Mr.Inkenti is an academician, social researcher, observer, blogger, and a fan, who studies entertainment media and related affects off/on human behavior and society. The views expressed on this blog are entirely Mr.Inkenti's and do not in any way possible represent anybody or anything. Mr.Inkenti blogs about the public affairs from RTC X Roads, Hyderabad to Oslo, Norway. Welcome, aboard.